1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a system for generating training data for new classes in a pattern recognition device or classifier. Image processing systems often contain pattern recognition devices (classifiers).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pattern recognition systems, loosely defined, are systems capable of distinguishing between various classes of real world stimuli according to their divergent characteristics. A number of applications require pattern recognition systems, which allow a system to deal with unrefined data without significant human intervention. By way of example, a pattern recognition system may attempt to classify individual letters to reduce a handwritten document to electronic text. Alternatively, the system may classify spoken utterances to allow verbal commands to be received at a computer console. In order to classify real-world stimuli, however, it is necessary to train the classifier to discriminate between classes by exposing it to a number of sample patterns.
Training a pattern recognition system requires a large number of samples to obtain acceptable accuracy rates. In some applications, samples will not be available in sufficient number for some or all of the output classes. Even where samples are available in sufficient numbers, collecting and preparing the samples can be a significant expense, especially where the output classes for a particular application change frequently. Further, training a pattern recognition classifier is a time-intensive process that must be repeated with the addition of each new output class. It would be desirable to quickly approximate data from a new output class from a single, ideal sample.